The Enchanted River: Nature's Captivating Design
The Philippines, a country seemed to have been shaped by nature's architects themselves. From the North all the way South, nature's architectural masterpieces abound. The Enchanted River in Hinatuan is one of the many that showcase nothing but nature's architectural genius.
The Enchanted river is a refreshing sight to weary travelers who travel far and wide just to have a glance of such an amazing display of nature's accomplishment. Surrounded by lush green trees, the liquid soul of the forest silently journeying into the open sea while tourists bathe in its glassy clear waters. The river's water is so clear you can see fishes even with you naked eyes as if you are looking at them through a clear thin sheet of glass. Meanwhile, the sun with it's mighty rays causes the water to glitter as if it were silver dusts scattered all over the place.
Amenities
As beautiful as this place is, the price to keep such beauty or whatever is left of it comes at a high cost. Whether it would mean limiting human access or depriving us of such things that would have made our visit more convenient, it will be protected at all costs. Cottages are located quite far enough from the river banks and those who have come to enjoy the cool, clear waters of the river may do so without the luxury of food and drinks around. No matter how far tourists have traveled to get her, staying overnight is strictly prohibited.
There are however, designated areas where people can eat. They have tables and chairs available for rent and as for the food, there are ready to eat food prepared by the locals for a reasonable price - sea foods, rice, "adobo" , "pancit", and a whole of other dishes. There are also raw sea foods, vegetables, and meat for sale which you can buy and you can just ask the vendor to cook them for you for an additional fee of at least 20 - 40 pesos.
The resort has a number of shower and dressing rooms; an information center; and a baggage counter where tourists can leave their belongings while they enjoy swimming into the crystal clear waters of the river. For elderly, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities - they have a shuttle that can take them to and from the swimming area. For those who have their own cars/motorcycles, the parking area is quite far from the cottages but is nevertheless accessible.
Activities
Other than enjoying a refreshing swim into the cool, crystal clear waters, there is nothing much that tourists can do in the Enchanted river really. You can take pictures of the river and the surrounding area as they are definitely a sight to see. You can also wait for the fish feeding which is usually every 3:00 in the afternoon. During the activity, you will see a lot of fishes feeding as a staff throw them feeds into the water. The activity could last up to 10 minutes after which you can either go back to swimming or decide to take one of those island hopping activities that the resort management offers.
Reminders
Swimming without a life vest is strictly prohibited. You can rent a life vest for 15 pesos an hour or just bring your own life vest if you have one. Should you rent a life vest, you have to have an ID to which the management will keep until you return the borrowed life vests. They only require 1 ID per group.
Make sure you phone is fully charged and bring extra batteries / power banks. Since this is outdoor and particularly located in the middle of a forest, always bring insect repellent lotion and sunscreen.
Prices
These are the prices of services and other stuff that I could remember.
Entrance Fee - 40 pesos
Parking Fee - 20 pesos
Life Vest - 15 pesos an hour
Table - 100 (including 6 chairs) while additional chairs will be at 10 pesos per chair
Baggage counter - free
Shuttle - free
Cooked crabs (at least 6 pieces small to medium size) - 250 pesos
cooked rice (steamed rice good for up to 4 persons) - 70 pesos
1.5 liter soft drinks - 70 pesos
Pancit (good for up to 4 persons) - 70 pesos
other food could range from 50 to 150
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Special thanks to my travel buddies
Cara and Marc
From left to right: Cara, Princess, Aran, And Rhodz
